Which assessment finding most clearly indicates that a patient may be experiencing a mental illness? The patient

A) reports occasional sleeplessness and anxiety.
B) reports a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood.
C) is able to describe the difference between "as if" and "for real."
D) perceives difficulty making a decision about whether to change jobs.

Mental Illness

A broad range of medical conditions that affect a person's thinking, feeling, mood, or behavior, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia.

Consistently Sad

Experiencing a continuous state of sorrow or unhappiness over an extended period of time, often related to depression or mood disorders.

Discouraged

Feeling a loss of confidence or enthusiasm; disheartened.